College football championship survival guide: Parking, tailgating, MARTA, what not to bring

Wipe that late night Rose Bowl and Sugar Bowl-watching blurriness out of your eyes. It’s time to really get focused now:

College football’s National Championship Game in Atlanta is right around the corner!

The game kicks off at 8 p.m. on Monday, January 8, 2018 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. With longtime rivals Alabama and Georgia vying for national bragging rights, along with the usual Southern ones, there’s no telling how high emotions and ticket prices will go.

But one thing we already know for sure: On Game Day and the two days leading up to it, downtown Atlanta will be packed with hundreds of thousands of people taking in free concerts, Playoff Fan Central, the “Extra Yard 5K” run and the rest of the related pigskinpalooza

MARTA trains are a good way to get to and from the game, Championship Campus and Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

Photo: � 2017 Cox Media Group.

Taking MARTA:Atlanta’s public transit system has rail stops located near all events/venues and hotels on the Championship Campus. And its Red and Gold lines originate at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, so you can skip the driving entirely if you’re flying in and out of town for the football festivities. A one-way fare is $2.50. Vending machines in MARTA stations sell one-ride passes and day-passes (Read the AJC’s smart guide for first-time MARTA riders here.)

Mercedes-Benz Stadium is handily located across the street from MARTA’s GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station on the Blue and Green lines. If you’re coming from the north or south, take a Red or Gold line train in the direction of Five Points station. Get off there, and transfer (it’s free) onto westbound trains on either the Blue line (headed toward H.E. Holmes) or the Green line (headed toward Bankhead). Get off at GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center and follow signs for Mercedes-Benz. Or you can ride to the Vine City station on the Blue/Green lines and walk a few hundred feet to the stadium (this station offers better accessibility for wheelchairs and strollers).

Related video:

From the stands to the suites, a look inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium on opening night. (Erica A. Hernandez/AJC)

The GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center Station also will let you off very near Playoff Fan Central at the Georgia World Congress Center, Media Day at Philips Arena, or -- right by the stadium -- Championship Tailgate Plaza and the Extra Yard 5K. For free concerts and other events at Centennial Olympic Park and Taste of the Championship at the Georgia Aquarium take the Red or Gold line to Peachtree Center or the Blue or Green lines to GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center; the park is approximately a 10-minute walk from both stations.

Tailgating: Championship Tailgate Plaza will serve as a gathering place for fans all three days. Located at International Plaza, an expansive greenspace that’s essentially Mercedes-Benz’s Stadium’s “front yard,” it’s being described as an “extreme tailgating” experience with zip lining and other outdoor activities. Additionally, check out this Atlanta Journal-Constitution guide to tailgating sites near the stadium.

The Fountain of Rings at Centennial Olympic Park, site of concerts and other events during the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship in Atlanta Jan. 6-8, 2018. h (AP Photo/David Goldman)

Security: If you’re attending the National Championship game on January 8, be aware that a number of items are prohibited at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. These include laser pointers, knives and firearms, selfie sticks, bottles and cans, chairs and more. The complete list can be found here.

In addition, a strict bag policy will be enforced throughout the Championship Campus, as well as at the game itself:

Approved Bags:Clear tote(made from plastic, vinyl or PVC) no larger than 12 inches by 6 inches by 12 inches; one gallon clear, resealable plastic storage bag; small clutch bag or purse, no larger than 4-1/2 inches by 6-1/2 inches; diaper bag, no larger than 4-1/2 inches by 6-1/2 inches. Note: Exceptions will be made for medically approved items following a proper inspection.

Complimentary Bags:In need of an approved bag? Free, clear CFP-branded bags will be distributed at the following locations: Downtown hotels; outside of the GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center and Vine City MARTA stations; parking lots on Championship Campus; from volunteers stationed throughout the downtown hotel district and Championship Campus.

The bags are also available at these “Bag Valet” locations: Georgia World Congress Center main lobby (from 9:30 a.m. to Midnight, January 6 and 7; from 9:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. January 8); Centennial Olympic Park Drive and Marietta entrances to AT&T Playoff Playlist Live! (2:30 p.m. - Midnight, January 6 and 7; 11:30 a.m. to 1 a.m. January 8); International Plaza at Philips Drive (3:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. January 8) and North of Gate 1 on Northside Drive (3:30 p.m. - 1 a.m. January 8). Note: You can also leave prohibited bags/items at the Bag Valet locations, although you’re much better off not even bringing them to the stadium or campus to start with.